Packing case



Nov. 15, 1949 F. J. BICKHAM 2,488,368

PACKING CASE Filed Sept. 26, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY Nov. 15,1949 F. J. BICKHAM 2,488,368

PACKING CASE Filed Sept. 26, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 //V VE/VTO F AABIC/(HAM Nov. 15, 1949 F. J. BICKHAM PACKING CASE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledSept. 26, 1944- Patented Nov. 15, 1949 PACKING CASE Francis J. Bickham,Chicago, 111., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, NewYork, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 26, 1944,Serial No. 555,778

1 Claim.

This invention relates to packing cases and more particularly to apacking case for electrical In the transportation of some electricalunits, particularly bomb-shaped units, considerable difficulty has beenexperienced in packing the units so that they will not be damaged intransit. These units are adapted to be mounted on the under side of theWing of an airplane by means of a bracket attached to the centralportion of the unit, which is made in the shape of a bomb, and theconstruction of which is as light as possible due to the fact that it isairborne equipment.

It is an object of the present invention to devise a container orpacking case for delicate apparatus which will be sturdy in constructionand which will provide adequate support for the apparatus to preventdamage to the apparatus during its transportation.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a plurality ofrelatively resilient rods have brackets fixed to them adjacent to theirmid portion to engage the apparatus to be transported. The ends of therods are then inserted in blocks attached to end frames, which serve toposition the rods, and the end frames have felt or other suitablesemi-resilient material applied all around their periphery and on theend surface thereof, opposite to the surface into which the rods extendso that the frames will be resiliently supported within a packing caseformed to such dimensions that it will tightly engage the felt when theframes with the unit supported on the rods is placed in the case.

A complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to thefollowing detailed description of one embodiment thereof, whenconsidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1is an exploded view in perspective of a packing case embodying thepresent invention, the top of the packing case being omitted and theelectrical unit to be packed therein being shown in dot and dash lines;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through thepacking case adjacent the forward edge thereof, showing the unit inplace in the case;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 3-3 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional View taken substantially alongthe line 4-4 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows showing one of therod supporting blocks in elevation;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary irregular plan sectional view takensubstantially along the line 55 of Fig. 3 in the direction of thearrows; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan sectional view taken substantially alongthe line B-6 of Fig.5 in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, particular reference first being had to Figs.1 and 2, it will be seen that the apparatus to be carried in the packingcase comprises an elongated. bomb-shaped casing i i! having a roundednose portion II and a tapering tail section l2. The casing Ill is ofcircular cross section and is provided with a pair of circumferentiallyextending grooves I3 and M, adjacent to its mid-portion, and, inaddition, the casing carries a supporting bracket i5 by means of whichit may be attached to the under side of the wing of an airplane. Thebracket i5 is mounted on the upper surface of the casing Ii! and extendsan appreciable distance longitudinally of the casing.

In order to properly support the apparatus within a suitable packingbox, as designated generally by the numeral ltof Fig. 1, a framework isprovided comprising four metallic rods l1, i8, i9 and 20 to which plates2|, 22, 23 and 24 are secured in any suitable manner, for example, bywelding. The plates 2|, 22, 23 and '24 areeac'n provided with suitableapertures adapted to receive bolts of nut and bolt assemblies 25-25, twobolt holes being provided in each of the plates 2!, 22, 23 and 24. Thebolts are adapted to pass through the apertures in the plates and toextend through wooden posts 25-46 which form parts of a wooden supportassembly or framework designated generally by the numeral 27. The woodensupport assembly 21 comprises, in addition to the posts 26, a pair ofplywood members 28 and 29 which are suitably attached to the posts 28and to a cross brace 39. The plywood members 23 and 29 are cut out asshown at 3!, Figs. 1 and 3 so that they will nest in and engage the sidewalls and the inner wall of the grooves 13 and I4.

Co-operating with wooden support assembly 21 is an upper supportassembly, or framework 40 also formed of pieces of wood. The uppersupport assembly Gil is adapted to be placed in position after theapparatus enclosed in the casing ID has been placed in position on thewooden support assembly 2'! and. this upper support assembly 46comprises a pair of plywood members 4| and 42 and a pair of braces 43and 44. The plywood members 4! and 42 are adapted to be attached to theside surface of the wooden posts 26 in any 3 suitable manner, forexample, by means of screws 45. The plywood members 4! and 42 are cut,as shown at 46, to provide surfaces engaging in the grooves l3 and I4and, in addition, the plywood pieces 4| and 42 have notches 41 at theirupper ends to receive the bracket l5.

The braces 43 and 44 are provided with notches 48 in alignment with thenotches 47 in the plywood pieces for further supporting the bracket 15to hold it in proper position and prevent rotation of the casing withrespect to the wooden support assembly 21 and the upper support assembly40.

The ends of the rods i1,"l8,'l9'and 2 are inserted in two similarlyformed end frames 51 and 52, which are of the same construction; The endframe 52 comprises upper and lower wooden cross members 54 and 53, whichnormally extend in 7 horizontal planes and to which there are suitablyattached wooden, vertically extending members '55 and 56 extending fromthe cross member 53 to the cross member 54 and having superposed on themsimilar vertically extending members 51 and 58 (see Figs. 4 and 6). Themembers 55 :and 56 are of the same size as the members 51 and 58, andthe members 55 and 56 have apertures 59 and 6 formed in them forreceiving the ends of the rods l9 and and i7 and 8, respec tively.Attached to the upper and lower ends of the vertically extending members55 and 56 are blocks 6!, 52, 63 and 64 having apertures in them inalignment with apertures in the vertically extending members 55 and 56,through which the rods l9 and 26, I8 and I6 extend, respectively, tofurther rigidly support the ends of the rods with respect to the endframes 5! and 52.

' Each of the end frames 5i and 52 has two layers of felt 65 and 66wrapped around it in engagement with the outer surface of the crossmembers 53 and 54 and the outer surface of vertically extending boards68 and 69 suitably attached to the side edges of the verticall extendingmembers 55 and 51 and 56 and 56, respectively. In addition to the layers65 and 66 of felt wrapped around the end frames, two strips of felt l6and H are mounted on the exposed or outer surface of the verticallyextending member 58 and two similar strips of felt 12 and 73 areattached to the exposed or outer surface of the vertically extendingmember 51.

' In packing an electrical unit in the packing case, the unit is firstnested in the wooden support assembly 21 and then the support assembly46 is engaged with the casing ill of the unit and then bolted in placeby means of bolts 15-15 which extend through the braces 43 and 44, theplywood members 41 and 42, and the wooden posts 26. After the unit hasthus been attached to the framework, including the rods ll, l8, l9 and20, the end frames 5| and 52 may be assembled on the rods by engagingthe rods in the apertures in the blocks 6|, 62, 63 and 64 and theapertures in the vertically extending members 55 and 56 with the rodsabutting the vertically extending members 51 and 58. The thus supportedunit, peripherally engaged with the plywood members 28 and 29 and 4! and42 of the diametrically opposite frameworks 21 and 46, respectively, maybe placed in the packin box it, which may be of any suitableconstruction and has been shown as comprising end portions 16 and 11 ofsimilar construction comprised of boards 13-18 attached by means of tiestrips 19-19. The side members of the packing box, designated generall bthe numerals and 8|, are of similar construction and each comprisesupper and lower horizontally extending members 82 and 83, and verticallyextending members 84,65, 86, 81 and 58, which may be fixed to the endpositions 16 and 77 in any suitable manner. The bottom 0f the packingbox 89 and the top 96 are of the same construction as the side members80 and 8| and may be attached to the end frames and side members in anysuitable manner. After a unit has been mounted in the box, the box maybe tied together by suitable metallic tie strips Ell-9|, as, is usual insuch packing practice, connecting members 92 being provided forattaching the ends of -the strips 91 together.

In packing units in the packing case, the bottom, sides and end membersof the packing box; with the strips attached to them, are firstassembled and then the support assembly, comprising the end frames 5|and 52 and the support rods I7, l8, l9 and 20, having the unit carriedor suspended on them, may be slipped into the packing box.

What is claimed is:

A packingv case for delicate apparatus comprising, a box structure, endiframes positioned in said box structure, layers of cushioning Imaterialinterposed between the end frames and adjacent portions of the boxstructure, a plurality of ree silient rods supported at their ends bysaid end frames and extending parallel one to another longitudinally ofthe box structure, a plate attached to each of said rods, and articleengaging frameworks fixed to said plates, said plates being fixed tosaid rods adjacent their 'mid-portion only.

' FRANCIS J. BICKHAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent: I

UNITED STATES PATENTS Gross' Nov. 25. 1945

